Pupils Get Feet Wet In Water Aerobics

It`s early Saturday morning and Lisa Porraro is suited up for action. It`s time to get wet. She`s part swimmer, part aerobics instructor and part bodybuilder. She`s a new breed of fitness instructor.

Porraro slips into the water at Pompano Beach Municipal Pool early on a Saturday morning. Ten women are waiting to rouse the water. Each sees a different talent in Porraro that attracts them to the workout. The spirit of Diana Nyad and Jane Fonda are at work in Porraro`s routines.

The class is called Wet Workout. It`s offered three times a week at Pompano Beach Municipal Pool. Porraro believes the class is a unique offering that combines the benefits of swimming, aerobics and weightlifting while avoiding the hazards of those same sports.

``It`s like aerobics but it`s not as hard on your joints,`` Porraro says. ``When you`re standing in water up to your shoulders, you`re only working with 10 percent of your body weight.

``Aerobics can be hard on your joints,`` she says. ``The constant bouncing puts a lot of stress on your ankles and knees. You don`t get that in the water.``

Porraro is all smiles. Saturday morning is her ``high-energy`` workout. There will be no mercy.

Porraro begins with leg and arm exercises, moves into aerobic twisting and jumping and takes off with dance routines.

``I feel it today,`` says Colleen Pollotto. Calories are burning up in the pool. The water`s alive, surging to the tune of Porraro`s hand-picked music.

Porraro takes her class from ``the scissors`` to the ``jump and twist`` to the ``rocking horse.``

``We`re going to have the looks,`` Porraro says.

Wet Workout is held three days a week. A moderate workout is held at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. A more vigorous workout begins at 7 p.m. the same days. The high-energy class goes from 9 to 10:20 a.m. Saturday.

The class attracts mostly women, but Porraro insists her workouts are good for men.

``It`s good for anyone,`` Porraro says. ``It`s nice because it`s in the water and that feels good on hot summer days. We work all the muscles in the body. It`s good for conditioning for men, too.``

People come to Porraro`s class for different reasons. Laura Adams is trying to get back in shape after having a baby. She hates aerobics but likes the water.

``It`s a good way to relax after a day at work,`` Adams says. ``It helps me sleep well.``

Jannys Urevig is interested in toning muscle and is happy with her progress.

``I`m losing inches and I feel good,`` Urevig says.

Suzanne Braver is recovering from a broken leg.

``It`s helped strengthen my leg,`` Braver says.

Porraro, a certified swimming instructor, was introduced to water workouts while working at the city pool in Miami Shores. She says she picked up new routines while vacationing in California and combined them with some of her own ideas.

``We work the arms and legs and waist and we get an aerobic workout,`` Porraro says. ``What`s good about the water is it provides resistance. It works like weights. You`re not going to build muscle in the water but you`re going to tone muscle.``

Porraro says she may start a morning class if she finds there`s enough interest. For more information, call 786-4117.